


Phantom Apprentices

by ArchivistOfArtifice



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Action, Action/Adventure, Ahsoka Tano Needs a Hug, Ahsoka Tano-centric, Alternate Canon, Ambiguity, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Character Death, Character Study, Death, Deviates From Canon, Dialogue Heavy, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies, Enemies to Friends, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Introspection, Light Angst, Mental Breakdown, Mental Instability, Moral Ambiguity, Moral Dilemmas, Morally Ambiguous Character, Planet Mandalore (Star Wars), Post-Siege of Mandalore (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Psychological Trauma, Siege of Mandalore (Star Wars), Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) Spoilers, Trauma
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:26:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28339188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArchivistOfArtifice/pseuds/ArchivistOfArtifice
Summary: The end of the Clone Wars is near. But even as peace seems closer than ever, a terrible darkness has engulfed galaxy. Maul, former apprentice to the Sith Lord Sidious, has sensed his master's machinations at work- predicting the fall of both the Republic and the Jedi Order. Seeking vengeance for his brother, he enlists the help of Ahsoka Tano- once the Padawan of the legendary Jedi Anakin Skywalker- as he plots against his master. This unlikely partnership of apprentices seeks to destroy the phantom behind both sides of the galaxy-spanning conflict. But how long can such a tenuous alliance last against an Empire-in-the-making, and the sinister might of the true Lords of the Sith?
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, Darth Maul & Ahsoka Tano
Comments: 8
Kudos: 42





	1. Choices

When Ahsoka had learned of Maul's presence on Mandalore, this was the last outcome she could have anticipated. As she stood in the Mandalorian throne room, eying the Zabrak's outstretched hand, a terrible dread fell across her face. It couldn't be true. It just **couldn't be**. But when she reached out with the Force searching for any signs of deception and duplicity, she found none. **Maul was telling the truth.** The fiery embers of battle blew in from the shattered window to her left, accompanied only by the cacophonous noise of the conflict below. Ahsoka had grown accustomed to the brutality and horror of a warzone such as this, though she'd never truly understood what all the bloodshed was for.

Her mind mulled over his words, again and again, wondering if there was any other way. Any other way to stop what they both feared was coming.

"The time of the Jedi has passed," Maul had said. "They cannot defeat Sidious… but together, you and I can."

Was this her only option? To work with evil in the hopes of destroying a much greater evil? And what of the Jedi? Surely an order which stood for over a thousand years could not be undone in a single day… right?

But as much as she wanted to ignore it, she felt **something** coming. A terrible, swirling darkness, threatening to consume the Jedi entirely. But at its centre, she did not see the Sith Lord that Maul had been so frightened of. She saw her master. She saw her friend. She saw **Anakin Skywalker**. Maul had sensed it too, that much was certain. But why? Was Anakin in danger? The very thought was enough to make Ahsoka's hands tremble imperceptibly. Gently gripping the lightsabers at her side, Ahsoka spoke with a tone that concealed the unease within.

"I will help you. But you must first answer one question."

The former Sith extended his hand out further towards her.

"You have but to ask."

Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka voiced what had been on her mind ever since hearing Almec's last words.

**"What do you want with Anakin Skywalker?"**

Maul's expression shifted into a cold rage. Ever since he'd realised Anakin's role in Sidious' plans, a fury tempered only by fear had awoken in him. Sidious had promised Maul that he would be his successor, and would rule over an Empire as vast as the galaxy itself. It was only recently that he'd learned the truth. Like Dooku, Maul was but a tool to be used and cast aside. It was this "Anakin Skywalker" whose power Sidious sought above all. And because of that, Anakin had to die. Concealing the anger behind his voice, Maul responded to Ahsoka's question.

"He is the key to **everything**."

Ahsoka's eyes widened.

"To bring balance to the force?"

"To **destroy**. He has long been groomed for his role… as my master's new apprentice."

Maul's eyes shifted to the lightsabers at Ahsoka's side, watching her grip on the weapons tighten as she prepared to draw them. This was not good. If Ahsoka turned on him now, he would lose the only ally that stands a chance of besting Sidious alongside him. Her eyes narrowed into an almost spiteful determination as she spoke.

"You lie."

"I'm afraid not. In fact, I was so certain of his fate that I orchestrated this war to lure him here with Kenobi… to kill him, thus depriving Sidious of his 'prized pupil'."

Drawing and igniting her brilliant blue blades, Ahsoka adopted an offensive stance. It was only a matter of time before she struck.

"I know Anakin. Your vision is flawed."

The Zabrak paused to consider his next move. He could draw his own weapon and coerce Ahsoka into joining him, but quickly dismissed the idea. If she did not join him of her own volition, her effectiveness would be severely diminished. He could attempt to flee to his inbound shuttle, but that would leave him without a valuable ally in the imminent chaos. That meant his only option was to change Ahsoka's allegiance through cunning and rhetoric. Luckily, these were two areas in which Maul excelled.

"You are no longer a Jedi... yet you act like one. You still seek to stay true to their hypocritical ways, do you not?"

"…yes. I may not be a Jedi, but… I will uphold my duty. To my Order, and to my master."

Maul smiled inwardly- he could use this.

"The bond between a master and student is strong… that is true of both the Jedi and the Sith. But it is not the Jedi way to let attachments cloud your judgement, is it? Search your feelings. You know I speak the truth. And I know that you fear the darkness surrounding Skywalker. Ask yourself what your **own** 'Jedi Code' would have you do in this situation. As apprentice to Sidious, the destruction and pain and suffering Skywalker will inflict-"

" **STOP IT!** "

Ahsoka's scream had betrayed her true feelings. Her stance, once formidable and fearless, had weakened. Her hands began shaking as an overwhelming sense of despair threatened to consume her.

"Anakin wouldn't- he would **never** turn to the Dark side! He may be reckless and impulsive but- he- he cares about his friends more than **anything**! He's more than just my master, he's like a **brother**! This has to be some kind of trick! Anakin wouldn't- he couldn't-"

"Like a brother," Maul echoed almost inaudibly as his eyes widened in understanding. And somewhat inexplicably, the former Sith's voice shifted into a tone of… Sympathy?

"…Skywalker is like a brother to you, as Savage was to me. But Sidious was content to slaughter my brother, and for your master he seeks an even more terrible fate. Eliminating Skywalker now would be a **mercy**. Perhaps there is even a chance you can turn him to our side… but if you refuse to help me, any chance of defeating Sidious... of **avenging** them... will be lost."

Ahsoka paused, gazing silently at the weapons she held with an unbreakable grip. Her sabers, which Anakin had tirelessly maintained in the hopes of her eventual return. The subtle modifications he'd made to the blades' emitters, producing a pair of vibrant blue blades as opposed to the green and yellow blades one would expect from the kyber crystals within. Surely, Anakin would rather die than allow those he cared about to suffer. Ahsoka thought back on the countless battles she'd fought by his side, the countless more hours they'd spent sparring to hone her abilities. And she remembered Anakin's promise- that he would never let any harm come to her. All of a sudden, there was not a doubt in her mind. Maul was wrong. He **had** to be.

The former Sith watched as Ahsoka readied her sabers. And from her, he sensed a newfound determination and resolve. She would not join him. Not without force. Letting out a slight growl, Maul drew his own weapon- a saberstaff- and ignited the twin crimson blades.

"I see the Padawan still needs one… last… lesson."


	2. Alliances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka's mission was a success. With Maul apprehended and the battle for Mandalore won, she begins the journey back to Coruscant to deliver the Sith to the Jedi Council. But even as the Clone Wars draw to a close, a horrible unease comes over her. Something is coming- a plot decades in the making, now ready to be set into motion. With the time of the Old Republic coming to an end and the destruction of the Jedi Order imminent, Ahsoka must decide how far she is willing to go in order to stop these malicious machinations.

"The Republic couldn't have asked for better soldiers… nor I, a better friend."

The bridge of the Venator was quiet, lit by the nebulous blue glow of hyperspace shining through the windows. As she spoke, Ahsoka gave a slight smile towards Rex- the one soldier who'd looked out for her almost as long as Anakin. Rex, in turn, gave a subtle nod of acknowledgement. With the report that Obi-Wan Kenobi had engaged General Grievous, the droid army's last remaining leader, the end of the Clone Wars was finally in sight. And for both Commander Rex and Ahsoka Tano, it hardly felt real.

No one knew what the future would hold, or what would become of the clones once the war ended. Perhaps they would be reassigned to peacekeeping duties. Or maybe they'd be freed from their obligation to protect the Republic, able to live their lives as they saw fit. The end of the war would likewise mean a new life for Ahsoka. The Jedi would set aside their role as military generals, returning to their original purpose- peacekeeping. She, for one, welcomed the change and intended to rejoin the Order once the conflict had ended. The Jedi had lost their way, but perhaps peacetime was an opportunity to rectify that.

For good or ill, this was probably one of the last times she'd see Rex- at least in any formal capacity- and she felt a bittersweet sorrow as a result. Looking up towards him, she gave a playful yet resolute salute- and Rex responded in kind. Suddenly, a clone officer emerged from the back of the bridge and approached the commander.

"Commander Rex, the latest briefing has come in."

"Want to have a look?" Rex asked Ahsoka. "It might have an update on General Kenobi's efforts."

Ahsoka shook her head.

"You go. I'm sure it's more good news."

But as Rex turned to leave, the former Jedi called out to him.

"Wait. Rex."

"Yes, sir?"

"I just wanted to thank you. You've stood by me since the beginning, and it was thanks to you that I learned what it means to be a leader. Even though I technically outranked you, I'd always looked to you for guidance, and looked up to you for inspiration. So... whatever this war has brought to the galaxy, I'm still glad for the existence of the clones. I'm still glad for the existence of… **you**. And no matter how the Clone Wars end, I want you to know that I'm grateful. I'll miss having you by my side."

Upon hearing her words, a warm smile spread across the clone commander's face.

"In this war, I've lost many brothers… but it's good to know that I've found a sister."

With that, Rex left to the briefing room, the durasteel doors sealing behind him.

Turning to face the illuminated windows of the bridge, Ahsoka closed her eyes. Despite the end of the war being so tantalisingly close, something still didn't feel right. She still felt uneasy. Ahsoka thought back to the day before- the day she'd faced down and defeated the former Sith lord. She remembered the terror in Maul's eyes, the hopeless desperation in his voice. And she remembered his words- his warning.

**"You're all going to burn."**

Ahsoka already decided that Maul's predictions would not come to pass. Yet as she reached out with the Force, all she could feel was a frightening sense of imminent and unavoidable doom. Perhaps this was Maul's doing. Perhaps he intended to break her resolve, to manipulate her. No. That couldn't be it. Something was definitely wrong. Through her bond with Anakin, she sensed pain. Suffering. Regret.

Intensifying her focus, she heard unidentifiable, almost incomprehensible voices echoing throughout the Force.

_"You must choose!"_

_"Don't listen to him, Anakin!"_

_"It's not the Jedi way! He must live!"_

_"He's too dangerous!"_

_"Please don't!"_

_"I need him!"_

_"Unlimited power!"_

She heard the crackle of Force Lighting so potent that its devastating might could be felt parsecs away. And as she staggered back, struggling to make sense of all the noise, Ahsoka heard her master's voice with a frightening clarity.

_**"What have I done?!"** _

Maul's eyes flicked open. Yet he could do little more. Contained within the Mandalorian vault, he could neither move nor speak. All he could do was look through the viewing slit, though even then, there was not much to see inside the sparse cell. He- the leader of both the most ferocious warriors the galaxy and the largest alliance of crime syndicates ever known- was completely and utterly powerless to prevent his imminent end. How had he allowed himself to be defeated so easily? How did he get so careless? After enduring the tortures of Sidious' training, surviving getting sliced in two by Kenobi, and suffering the fiery hell of Lotho Minor for countless days, would this be how he died?

All his life, Maul had aspired for greatness. And it was greatness he had been promised- first by his mother and then by Sidious. But now, such ambitions seemed impossible and foolish. Now, all that remained was to be disposed of. Erased. **Forgotten**. Maul would be just another footnote in the galaxy's history books, and that was what terrified him most of all. His life, and indeed his death, would be unacknowledged and meaningless. He was apprentice to the most powerful being in the galaxy once. But now, his legacy was nothing. Now, he was nothing.

Then, he felt it. Suddenly, it was as if Maul could hear the thoughts of Ahsoka Tano. He felt her fear- her dread- and heard the same cacophony of voices she heard, calling out through the force. **This** was the breaking point. Whatever scheme his master planned had finally been set in motion. He did not know what had caused such a great disturbance in the Force, but he could feel the pain. The grief. The death. It was as if all the light in the galaxy had been snuffed out in a single instant. And soon, it would be Maul's turn.

The cell's door slid open and a pair of clone troopers entered, their blasters readied. This was it. With the press of a button, the first trooper opened the outer casing of the Mandalorian vault, leaving Maul truly defenceless. His eyes darted around the room in a futile attempt to find a way out. He pulled at his restraints in a panicked fervour, but his strength was no match for the formidable steel. After the unimaginable pain he'd endured to make it this far, this couldn't be how it ended. The clones raised their weapons.

Then, without warning, Ahsoka appeared in the doorway. The first clone turned to face her, only to be thrown against the wall with a force push. As the second clone attempted to train his blaster on her, she swiftly ignited her sabers and sliced through the weapon, before throwing the trooper against the cell roof. With the two assailants neutralised, the former Jedi took a deep breath before releasing Maul from the vault. She watched as the once-mighty Sith all but collapsed in front of her, exhausted from whatever Mandalorian mechanisms had kept his force abilities at bay.

"You… survived…" Maul said, his breathing sporadic and heavy.

Ahsoka raised her blades towards Maul's neck, a ruthless expression on her face.

"Is this your doing?! Choose your words carefully."

Maul's response came in an exhausted and almost defeated tone.

"I was not in a position to **do** anything, now was I, Lady Tano? I do not know what has occurred, though I warned you of the coming darkness. **You** chose to ignore me. But now, surely you have felt it. The voices crying out. The death."

Once again, she sensed no deception from Maul. Once again, he seemed to be telling the truth. Cautiously, she switched off her lightsabers and helped Maul to his feet.

"The clones turned against me. Even Rex. I don't know why... they just... suddenly weren't themselves."

Maul let out an almost admiring chuckle. Finally, he understood. The Republic. The Separatists. The Clone Wars. Every piece expertly arranged for the Jedi Order's extermination.

"Brilliant... brilliant! I was not privy to my master's plan, but now... I see it. He turned the Jedi's own army against them."

Ahsoka recoiled in horror. Had the clones always been just a tool for the destruction of the Jedi? And for how long had Sidious played the puppetmaster, biding his time for the perfect moment to strike? Maul, however, seemed unfazed by the revelation, as he continued to speak.

"Well, you've done the right thing by coming to me. Only together can we survive this. Now, if you will follow my lead, we must reach the hyperdrive."

"What? Why the hyperdrive?"

"This ship is currently en route to Coruscant, yes? If it arrives at its destination, there will be no escape for us. Given recent developments, we must assume that the Republic itself is now under the control of the Dark Lord of the Sith. Hence, we **must** disable this Venator's hyperdrive before it arrives at its destination. Then, we can secure a ship from the hangar bay, open the hangar doors, and make our escape."

Ahsoka had to admit, his plan was sound. But allying with Maul couldn't be her only option for escape. There had to be another way.

"…And who said I want to team up with you? Last I checked, you were a **murderer**. A **Sith**."

Looking at Ahsoka, Maul growled in frustration.

"The Republic is on the brink of collapse, the Jedi are no more, and you **still** wish to hold onto these old rivalries?! The galaxy itself is being remade, and unless Sidious is destroyed, his reign will bring devastation the likes of which you cannot even conceive! 'Jedi'. 'Sith'. Such labels are irrelevant now. **You** seek to save the galaxy from the clutches of tyranny, and **I** seek vengeance against Sidious for casting me aside. Sith or no, our goals align."

Maul was a monster. Ahsoka knew that all too well. She'd seen the transmission where he'd massacred civilians in the hopes of luring Obi-Wan into a trap. She'd heard about Maul's ruthless execution of the Duchess of Mandalore. And she knew what his intentions were for Anakin. Yet he was perhaps the only ally she had aboard the ship, and without his help, there was no guarantee she could make it out in time. Even if she succeeded, what then? Ahsoka had neither the power nor the resources to openly resist Sidious' new regime. What nightmares would a galaxy under Sith rule bring forth? No matter how she looked at it, the conclusion was obvious.

**To defeat an evil as monstrous as Sidious, she'd need the help of a monster like Maul.**


	3. Survival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having formed an unlikely alliance, Ahsoka and Maul devise a plan to escape the reach of Sidious and his clone army.

"Don't make me regret this."

Ahsoka passed Maul his saberstaff, recovered by a Republic patrol from the streets of Mandalore. There was a slight hesitation, for though she'd bested Maul once, she wasn't certain she could do it again. But in order to survive the coming storm, she had to take that chance. She did not believe Maul would betray her- at least not immediately- and she had far more pressing concerns.

"Thank you, Lady Tano. Now, we must not delay. Every moment we waste brings us closer and closer to the heart of Republic power- the heart now corrupted by my master's influence. We must reach the hyperdrive at once, disable it, then escape to the main hangar before our enemies can coordinate a response."

Ahsoka's eyes widened.

"Our enemies?"

"The clones, obviously. They will attempt to destroy us… you already know that much."

"But, I… I can't fight them! They're… they..."

Maul let out an exasperated sigh.

"Those 'soldiers' may have been loyal to you once, but now they are little more than merciless drones with one singular purpose- to bring about our deaths! You may have reservations about fighting them, but I assure you, they do not have the same reservations about fighting you. The 'men' you knew are dead. More victims of Sidious' schemes."

"That's not true! Rex, he… hesitated… he told me to 'find Fives'… I think there might still-"

Suddenly, a squad of four troopers, clad in the orange paint they'd once used to honour the former Jedi, appeared from the end of the corridor in which she and Maul stood. Ahsoka had frozen, unable to raise a blade against her former allies. But it was as Maul said. The clones had no such reservations. Without hesitation, they unleashed a volley of lethal blaster fire on her position… only for Maul to ignite his saber, shield Ahsoka from the attack, and throw his double-bladed weapon in their direction. Before she realised what was happening, the four assailants had been beheaded and Maul's saber had returned to his hand, deactivated.

"They know we're here," Maul said breathlessly. "We must move quickly."

But Ahsoka didn't follow Maul as he began in the direction of the hyperdrive. Her eyes remained fixed on the decapitated head of one of the clones- complete with the helmet, painted with her own distinctive head markings. The despair she'd felt before in the Mandalorian throne room had returned. Why was her every ally turning against her? So much had the clones respected Ahsoka's authority that they remained loyal to her even when she ceased to be a Jedi. They elected to paint their armour in her image and followed her into a battle that costed countless lives- despite the fact that it was unsanctioned by the Republic. Now, these men were willing to gun her down without a second thought. What had Sidious done? How had he turned such loyal and steadfast soldiers into his pawns? And if he could do that to the clones, was it really so inconceivable that he could do it to her master as well?

"Ahsok- Lady Tano, we **need** to go! If the clones are aware of our position, a whole legion of troopers could be on their way!"

Maul was right. The time to grieve would be later. The time to survive was now. Closing her eyes, Ahsoka took a deep breath, and her composure returned. Her eyes flicked open.

"Alright. But I don't think it's wise for us both to head to the hyperdrive."

Maul raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

"Why not? There is strength in numbers."

"True, but that approach would let the clones know exactly what we're planning. They might gravity clamp or destroy the ships in the hangar, and with the Venator's hyperdrive disabled, we'd be trapped in some desolate region of space with no hope of rescue. Killing us is their mission, and they will not hesitate to maroon this ship and lay down their lives to do so."

Maul nodded in agreement.

"You are quite right. Then it would be best to split up. One of us must open the hangar doors and secure a shuttle for our escape, to prevent the clones from disabling it. The other will take the hyperdrive out of commission before rendezvousing in the hangar. If that's the plan, then… I shall head to the hangar. I trust you will know how to disable the hyperdrive?"

Ahsoka's eyes narrowed.

"What's to stop you from escaping the moment we're in real-space, leaving me trapped here? "

"Why would I go through all this trouble to recruit your allegiance, only to leave you here to die?"

Ahsoka paused. The former Sith had a point.

"Regardless, I'd rather not take the chance. I'll secure the hangar, you deal with the hyperdrive."

"And what's to stop **you** from leaving **me** trapped here?"

"It is not the Jedi way to go back on one's word."

Maul shook his head derisively. But as much as he despised the hypocrisy of the Jedi, he sensed truthfulness in Ahsoka's words.

"…Very well then. Get the dorsal doors open and have a ship ready to go by the time I reach the hangar. And remember, you mustn't expect the clones to be merciful. They will show you no quarter… and you must respond in kind."

With that, they departed- Maul towards the hyperdrive and Ahsoka towards the main hangar.

**"Fall back! Fall back!"**

The Republic's Clone Troopers were said to be fearless. That was especially true of the 501st Legion, whose men made up the bulk of the 332nd Company which had now turned on its former Jedi commander. Yet even troops as elite as these were sent into a panicked frenzy at Maul's approach. Lightsaber ignited, he'd cleaved a path through countless soldiers with an almost animalistic ferocity. The clones had attempted to retreat, sealing the blast doors behind them to redirect Maul's approach- yet they'd only succeeded in prolonging the inevitable. In mere moments, Maul's saber had pierced through the doors, slicing them open with a frightening effortlessness.

Resolute until the end, Maul's assailants continued to fire upon him with an unyielding barrage of blaster bolts. But the speed, power, and sheer brutality of the former Sith Lord proved too great. Some troopers found themselves slashed in two. Others had been mercilessly impaled. But the least fortunate were crushed to death, either by the Force or the impossible strength of Maul's bare hands. The Zabrak's advance was barely hindered, and it wasn't long before he'd reached the narrow catwalks of the hyperdrive room.

Deflecting the blaster bolts back at the clones who fired them from their elevated platforms, Maul swiftly eliminated the last remaining clones in his path. Now came the hard part. The former Sith lacked the technical expertise to disable the hyperdrive by conventional means. But that would not stop him. Maul walked to the central platform of the room and extended his hands towards the two enormous hyperdrive generators in front of him. Concentrating every bit of his fury on those two points, Maul channelled the Force in all its devastating power. This would not be as precise as a Force push or a Force choke. Maul's only intention was to **destroy**. In a spectacular display, he tore the generators down from their perch, tearing through a catwalk as they fell to the void below. Warning lights flashed and sirens blared as he felt the sudden jolt of emerging into real-space. He'd succeeded. Now all that remained was to make it to the hangar, and to hope Ahsoka kept her word.

The hallways of the Venator were much more sparsely guarded than Ahsoka had anticipated, allowing her to slip through the ship with relative ease. But it was clear from the blaring alarms that something was happening. Perhaps Maul's rampage had diverted the clones' attention? Whatever the explanation, she welcomed it. Ahsoka had resolved to do what it took to survive- but remained hesitant about fighting her former comrades. Was Maul right? Were the men she knew truly gone? And if her life depended on it, would she be able to kill one of them? But as she approached the entrance to the viewing area overlooking the main hangar she put such thoughts out of her mind. Willing to kill or no, she'd certainly have to fight.

But upon entering the room, she realised that the only opposition was naval personnel, quickly incapacitated by a few well-placed Force pushes. Looking down upon the main hanger through the windows of the viewing area, she saw that both the dorsal hull doors and the hangar bay doors had been sealed shut. Yet the hangar itself appeared to be completely desolate, with not a trooper in sight. Where was everyone? Her question was quickly answered as she accessed the viewing area's controls, opening both the dorsal hull doors and the hangar bay doors.

The dorsal hull doors slid open, making the black expanse of real-space visible from the hangar. The hangar bay doors soon followed, revealing her Nu-class attack shuttle- the same craft she'd used to bring Maul aboard the Venator- to be completely intact. But from behind another door, legions of clone troopers emerged, assuming a defensive formation in the centre of the hangar. Her heart sank as she saw the clone at the head of the formation.

It was none other than Commander Rex.


	4. Soldiers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escape is finally in sight for Ahsoka and Maul. But now they face their greatest challenge yet. Under the direct command of Rex, two complements of clone troopers stand ready to halt the duo's advance. Faced with the overwhelming numbers and tactical brilliance of her former allies, Ahsoka will be forced to make an impossible decision- one that could mean the difference between victory and death.

_"In this war, I've lost many brothers… but it's good to know that I've found a sister."_

Rex's words had burned themselves into Ahsoka's mind. Through skirmishes and battles, ambushes and air assaults, she'd always been able to count on him. When faced with seemingly insurmountable tactical decisions, she'd always been able to look to him for guidance. And as she looked down upon the sea of clone troopers gathered in the main hangar from the viewing area, she wished more than anything to hear Rex's tactical counsel once more. But this time, Rex did not stand with Ahsoka. At the head of the clone army's formation, he stood against her, with one goal: her death.

She tried to imagine the old Rex, assessing the situation with his unwavering and inspiring confidence. What were the clones planning? Surely they couldn't wait in the hangar bay forever. But then, it clicked. Knowing him, the army of clones was a diversion. His forces no doubt intended to disable the attack shuttle but needed to buy time to do so. Ahsoka suspected that Republic technicians would be working to sabotage the ship before it could be stolen, and she couldn't afford to let that happen. She didn't know whether there were any other hyperdrive-equipped craft in the hangar, meaning this might be her only chance. But against such significant opposition, was survival even possible?

Ahsoka didn't know what to do. Any minute now, Maul would enter the main hangar, expecting the shuttle to have already been secured. Instead, he would be faced with an army of troopers- and as powerful as Maul was, Ahsoka didn't like his chances. She had to warn him somehow. If they went for the shuttle together, they may yet succeed. But alone, it would be all but hopeless. In desperation, she closed her eyes, trying to reach Maul through the Force.

_"The hangar bay's heavily guarded. I can't get to the ship alone."_

Ahsoka was silent, clearing her mind and awaiting a response…

_"Very well then. We shall strike together."_

It was Maul! How were they communicating with such clarity? Communication via the Force was not unheard of, but at best it was unreliable and successful only between masters, or in exceptional circumstances, between masters and their students. But how it had been achieved did not matter to Ahsoka right now. All that mattered was getting to the ship in one piece. She sensed another message from Maul.

_"I'm ready to enter the main hangar. On the count of three, we attack."_

_"Alright."_

Taking a breath, she prepared herself for what was to come. She'd managed to avoid fighting the clones for as long as possible. Now it would truly be unavoidable.

_"One."_

Ahsoka ignited her lightsabers, gripping them tightly.

_"Two."_

She raised the weapons, aiming a pair of strikes at the transparasteel windows.

_"Three."_

When Ahsoka had informed him that the hangar was well-guarded, Maul had expected strong resistance. But this was beyond even what he had anticipated. A swarm of troopers, upon seeing Maul enter, immediately opened fire, creating a seemingly unstoppable wall of blaster-fire. Maul lunged forwards, deflecting some bolts and dodging others. But he couldn't keep this up for long. Concentrating his power, he unleashed a devastating Force shockwave, knocking the clones down to the ground and shattering their formation. This provided a brief window of opportunity to continue his advance towards the Nu-class shuttle he'd spotted in the open side hangar. Gradually, however, more clones got to their feet, opening fire from all angles.

Suddenly he heard the shattering of transparasteel from behind him. Turning to face the source of the noise, he saw Ahsoka leaping high above the encircling clone army from the viewing platform, before landing gracefully at Maul's side, her blue blades ignited.

"Nice of you to join us," Maul said with a wry smile.

Upon seeing the display, the clones had momentarily ceased fire- either in awe, shock, or reverence. But with a word from the commander, the bombardment resumed.

Side by side, they advanced, each covering each other's back and holding the devastating blaster onslaught at bay. Maul gestured towards the attack shuttle.

"Is that our way out?"

Ahsoka nodded affirmatively, as the pair continued to push towards the side hangar. But while Maul's deflected bolts all hit their marks, Ahsoka's all missed. She was missing **intentionally**.

"Lady Tano," Maul growled, as he shielded the pair from another volley. "Perhaps this would be easier if you assisted in thinning their numbers."

The pair were just metres away. They'd almost made it.

"I told you I don't want to hurt them!"

"And I told you that **they don't care**!"

But despite Maul's frustrations, they eventually made it. As they entered the shuttle, two clone troopers clambered out from the cockpit. Ahsoka promptly used the Force to throw them clear of the shuttle, perhaps to spare them the Zabrak's wrath. Sitting down at the controls, she then attempted to power up the engines… only to find that her worst fears had been realised. The craft had been sabotaged. In their haste to escape, the trooper technicians had left their tools behind, however. Maybe the plan could still be salvaged.

"The ship's been disabled," Ahsoka said, desperation creeping into her voice. "I think I can fix it, but I need you to buy me some time."

Maul nodded.

"Work quickly. I cannot hold them off forever."

As Ahsoka began frantically making the necessary repairs, Maul set off to hold back the enemy advance.

Rex gritted his teeth. Of all the things to prepare for, he hadn't anticipated Ahsoka joining forces with the former Sith Lord. In truth, he'd left the Nu-class shuttle mostly intact as bait for the two Force users, only sabotaging the interior as an added contingency. Rex believed that two complements of clone troopers, one led by himself and the other led by ARC Trooper Jesse, would be more than enough to stop either of them alone. But together, he wasn't so sure.

Maul emerged from the shuttle, yet to Rex's surprise, he did not flee. As his position was bombarded with blaster fire, he held his ground, as if he was defending the shuttle despite its inoperable state. Meanwhile, Ahsoka was nowhere to be seen. Where was she? Did she actually believe it was possible to repair the craft? If that were the case, this whole operation could slip through his fingers. If Rex wasn't careful, the traitorous Jedi would escape with the renegade Sith- an eventuality he could not allow to happen. Accessing a specially encrypted frequency, he contacted Jesse.

"Jesse, I'm putting you in command of my complement. I need you to deal with Maul. Coordinate your fire to draw his attention away from my position."

"What about Tano?"

"I'll take care of her. Alone."

"Are you sure about this?!"

"We don't have much of a choice."

The relentless barrage of blaster bolts had pinned Maul down almost completely. With his back against the shuttle, he did his best to hold off the assault and keep the clones away from the ship. Through the blinding blaster-fire, he thought he saw a single clone rush past, making it into the shuttle. But surely a Jedi as capable as Ahsoka could deal with a single clone? No. The question wasn't whether Ahsoka was **capable**. It was whether Ahsoka was **willing**.

By some miracle, Ahsoka successfully repaired most of the critical damage the saboteurs had inflicted upon the ship in record time. Now all that remained was to restore power to the main engines and hyperdrive, and the ship would be ready to go. Rushing through the rear compartment of the craft with tools in hand, she'd just about finished when she sensed danger from behind her. Ducking reflexively, she'd moved out of the path of a plasma bolt before dropping her tools and drawing her lightsabers. Turning to face her mystery assailant, Ahsoka was filled with a paralysing dread. Holding the smoking blaster that had fired the blast was the one person on this ship she was most hesitant to fight. **Rex**.

"Rex, listen to me… this isn't you! Sidious is **controlling** you! But you can break free, I know you're strong enough, **please** -"

"Silence! I won't hear any more of your Jedi lies!"

Training both of his blasters on Ahsoka, Rex prepared to fire. Meanwhile, Ahsoka's voice grew increasingly desperate. She couldn't do this. Rex **had** to be in there somewhere.

"Wait! Just hours ago, you said I was like a sister to you… I didn't get to respond, but I just wanted to say I'm **honoured**! You've been with me through thick and thin, and you've always heeded my words… even when you didn't need to! Even when I was an inexperienced Padawan! You're a good soldier Rex! Don't do this!"

But Rex's demeanour remained unfazed.

"Good soldiers follow orders."

He opened fire.

Ahsoka sprung into action, deflecting Rex's attack towards the durasteel walls of the shuttle before slashing the barrels of his blaster pistols. Staggering back towards the cockpit, Rex threw a thermal detonator in the togruta's direction. There was no time to escape the blast radius. Ahsoka attempted to contain the blast with the Force, only to be partially successful- for she'd managed to shield herself from the shrapnel of the explosion, but was thrown against the wall by the concussive shockwave, dropping her lightsabers in the process. Rex surged forward, dropping his inoperable blasters and delivering a powerful punch to Ahsoka's head, causing her head to impact the durasteel once again. As Ahsoka struggled to regain her bearings, the clone grabbed the former Jedi by the neck, crushing her throat with formidable strength. She gasped for air as her hands desperately tried to free herself from her former friend's clutches. It was no use. In an act of desperation, she clawed at Rex's helmet, before ripping it off and looking the clone in the eye. Ahsoka looked for any trace of the old Rex, any hint of remorse. She found none in his cold, emotionless stare.

"R… Rex…" Ahsoka croaked, trying in vain to speak with the clone's tightening grip around her neck. "I… know… you're… still… please… I…"

She would lose consciousness any minute now. Seeing the absolute control over the clones Sidious had first hand, there was now no doubt in her mind what would happen next. Rex, her loyal and steadfast protector, would kill her. Then, they'd come for Maul, and it wouldn't be long before he, too, was overwhelmed. Once that was done, there'd be no one left to stand in Sidious' way. With the help of the clone army, he'd eliminate every last trace of the Jedi from the galaxy, ushering in an age of darkness and fear. All hope would be lost.

For the first time in an eternity, tears welled up in Ahsoka's eyes. She'd failed. After all the fighting, all those sacrifices, all that **death** … was this to be the legacy of the Clone Wars? Would this be her legacy? She'd failed to stop what she knew was coming. She'd failed to save her Order. And, if Maul was right, she'd failed to save her master. If Ahsoka allowed herself to die here, what would be the cost? She could only think one thing as the last remnants of breath began to leave her lungs.

_"I'm sorry."_

Rex had been so fixated on killing the former Jedi that he hadn't noticed her saber lifting itself off the ground. He didn't notice the saber's blue blade ignite. And he realised all too late what was happening as the weapon flew towards him, impaling him from behind.

In her oxygen-deprived state, Ahsoka had barely been conscious of what had happened. But as she slumped to the ground, and her breathing normalised, the reality of what had just happened hit her. In front of her, laying unmoving and face down, was the body of the Clone Commander Rex- stabbed in the back with her own blue lightsaber.

"Rex?!"

Ahsoka's calm and composed demeanour dissolved into a despair induced hysteria. This couldn't be real. She removed the weapon from his back and threw it aside, before turning the clone over to see his face. From the scorch marks on his armour, it was clear the blade had made it all the way through.

"Rex, **please** don't be… don't…"

All traces of malice and coldness had vanished from the clone's face. The expression she saw on the face of the man lying before her wasn't the face of an unthinking, merciless drone. It had all the warmth, light, and resolve of the friend she knew. It was Rex. The real Rex.

"C-commander Tano…"

Rex was still alive. But though his expression held warmth, it also held fear. Ahsoka's breathing turned ragged, her tone consumed by anguish.

"Rex, I- I didn't mean for- I didn't mean to… I'm sorr- "

With what little strength he had, Rex shook his head before looking Ahsoka right in the eye.

"Don't blame…" Rex winced in pain. "Don't blame yourself, Commander. You did what you had to do. I may not be a Jedi myself, but… I'm proud of the Jedi… of the **leader** you've become. Sometimes in war, you have to make hard choices, and… I know this wasn't easy, but… you did the right thing."

Ahsoka couldn't bring herself to speak. She grabbed Rex's hand and held it tightly.

"We clones… we were born to die for the Republic. But most of us **lived** for something else entirely. For me, it was my brothers… the General… and **you**. If I have to die so that you can live, then… I've fulfilled my purpose. It was an honour to… serve with you."

"How can you say that?!" Ahsoka screamed. "I'm not- I'm not a soldier, **or** a Jedi, **or** a Commander. I failed to see what was coming, I failed to stop Sidious, and now… your blood is on my hands... **I killed you**!"

"No. You **saved** me from… from the mission… from the nightmares… from the clutches of Sidious. Because of you, I'm… finally… free."

She felt his grip on her hands loosen.

"Rex? Rex… Please… don't leave me, Rex… You're the only… You're all I… "

Ahsoka made a futile attempt to feel his presence with the Force. But she sensed nothing.

Rex was dead. And Ahsoka had killed him.


	5. Grief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Consumed by regret and despair, Ahsoka must come to terms with all that she has lost.

The aftermath of the fight was a blur to Ahsoka. But having finished the repairs, she remembered watching Maul scramble to the cockpit before inputting coordinates to who-knows-where. Moments later, the ship launched free of the hangar bay before swiftly escaping into the safety of hyperspace. Against all odds, they'd done it. She had survived. But in truth, part of her wished she hadn't.

Now, Ahsoka sat in the passenger compartment of the Nu-class attack shuttle, curled up in a ball of despair. As a commander, she'd lost soldiers before- many due to her own tactical inexperience- but this was something else entirely. However she tried to justify it, one simple fact remained- it was by her own hands that the killing blow to Rex had been dealt. Not indirectly, or by some enemy combatant. Not by Sidious, as Rex had tried desperately to convince her. It was by **her** hands. But Ahsoka's tears had long since dried out, leaving her with a more hollow and persistent feeling of hopelessness.

At times like these, her master would always be there to comfort her. But like Rex, Anakin was gone. Ahsoka could no longer feel that familiar presence in her mind, that ever-present reminder that no matter what, she would be okay. In just a day, everything she cared about had been taken from her. She'd lost her Republic. She'd lost her Order. She'd lost her friends. She'd lost her master. As the galaxy itself seemed to be collapsing around her, Ahsoka never felt more alone. But as she closed her eyes, desperate to feel some remaining trace of her master, she heard a voice.

_"Hey, Snips."_

Ahsoka's breathing hitched as she flicked upon her eyes. Crouching in front of her, his reassuring hand resting on her shoulder, was her former master. She looked up at Anakin's face and shook her head, sadly.

"You're just a memory. I know my master is gone. There's so much I wish I could tell him. So much I wish I could ask him. But I… I…"

_"What's on your mind? Talk to me, Snips. I'm here for you."_

"…I'm so... so sorry for leaving you, master. If I hadn't left, then maybe you'd still be alive. Maybe I could have saved you, maybe-"

_"It's not your fault. You couldn't have known what would happen."_

Ahsoka's voice took on an uncharacteristic rage.

"Everyone keeps **saying** that. 'It's not your fault'. But it **is**! It **is** my fault! The truth is, I left the Jedi Order because I was **selfish**! I **abandoned** you!"

Her voice weakened as the tears returned.

"…and Rex… he told me not to blame myself… but who else is there to blame?! I was the one who stabbed him through the back. No words… no rationalisation can change that fact. It's all my fault. I shouldn't even be alive right now. I should have just…"

She lowered her head, averting her eyes from her master's gaze.

_"Don't talk like that, Ahsoka. You know how I felt about the Order… You know I never blamed you for wanting to leave. And as for Rex… Up until his final breath, there wasn't a doubt in his mind as to whether you'd done the right thing. You were put in an impossible situation, forced to choose between the life of your friend and the greater good. But even in such dire circumstances, you were able to make that difficult but necessary choice."_

"'Greater good'?! The Republic has turned into an instrument of evil and the Jedi Order is dead! There is **nothing** left to fight for. No 'greater good', no end to the war. **There's no point**."

_"You don't mean that."_

"Yes, master, I **do**. I'm done. I give up. Because no matter what I do, no matter how **hard** I fight… I can't undo what's already been done. So what's the point?! Even if I win, I can't bring you or him or anyone else back. You're **gone**. Nothing… nothing can change that now."

The apparition of Anakin nodded.

 _"We're gone and nothing can change that. But everything we_ _stood_ _for, everything we_ _fought_ _for, now lives in you. Rex was willing to die so that you could live. He never stopped believing in you, and neither did I. So please, don't stop believing in yourself. If you give up, then Rex's death…_ **_my_ ** _death… would be in vain."_

Ahsoka's body language became increasingly defensive. Despite what she'd said, she wanted to believe there was still hope. But against the very evil that had consumed the Jedi Order, what chance did she have?

"I can't do it. You all trusted me, and I **failed** you. Who's to say that I wouldn't fail you again?!"

Anakin shook his head.

 _"I don't expect you not to fail. The enemy you face is something neither I, nor the Council, nor even Master Yoda could defeat. But take heart, little one, for failure is how we learn to be better. In the war to come, you will have to make many hard decisions. Sometimes you'll be right, and sometimes you'll be wrong. What matters is that you keep going, and_ **_keep fighting_** _. Because someday, I know you will be victorious."_

Anakin and Rex had given her their faith, their trust, and in one way or another, their life. But why? What made **her** so special? Ahsoka looked up at Anakin, the bewilderment visible in her eyes.

"How can you know that? How can you be so confident that I'll be able to defeat Sidious?!"

Anakin flashed Ahsoka one of his characteristic, playful smiles.

 _"I thought that'd be obvious, Snips! Did you forget whose Padawan you are?_ _"_

Ahsoka chuckled slightly and a bittersweet smile spread across her face.

"I'll miss you, Anakin."

_"I'll miss you too."_

Suddenly, Ahsoka stood up, before wrapping Anakin in a tight embrace. She could feel the sensation, the warmth- as if Anakin had truly been standing before her eyes. Before fading, the apparition patted Ahsoka on the head softly.

_"I'm proud of you, Snips."_


	6. Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having escaped certain death at the hands of the clones, Ahsoka and Maul's alliance grows more strained than ever. While the pair share a common goal- the destruction of Sidious- each possess vastly different visions for the galaxy. Maul's ambition for an Empire under his dominion will lead Ahsoka to question her allegiance once more, but there may be more to the monster than she first imagined.

"This can't be right. You said **Sidious** was behind the clones' actions. But… if this is to be believed…"

Sitting at the controls of the Nu-class attack shuttle, Maul turned to respond to Ahsoka's comment. He saw her sitting behind him in the passenger seat, examining a news broadcast from the holonet.

"Don't be so naïve, Lady Tano. Do you honestly think Sidious had no hand in this? How is it that you think that the free will of the clones was overridden so completely? Of **course** he is behind it."

Ahsoka nodded, but it was clear that something hadn't sat right with her. She looked at Maul, her concern evident in her tone.

"It says here that the Jedi attempted to assassinate the Chancellor… and that the Jedi Council had been behind the war from the start, using it as an excuse to usurp power from the Senate! That's-"

"Brilliant. I must admit, I have always admired the cunning and subtlety of my master's schemes. Even now, the galaxy rushes to embrace his 'protection', oblivious of his true face."

"You don't believe there's a chance it could be true?"

"Believe me, I **know** it's not out of character for those pseudo-pacifists. But given past events and all that's happened since… it's too convenient. The elimination of the Jedi Order has been my master's goal for as long as I can remember… and now that it has come to pass, there's not a doubt in my mind that he's behind it. I'm more surprised that **you** think these reports plausible, considering your Jedi indoctrination."

Ahsoka scoffed. "It's not that I believe such lies, but… you heard those recordings the Chancellor presented to the Senate and released onto the holonet. The fact that it was cut off is indeed suspicious, but the audio shows no signs of tampering. And given that the Jedi were… I…"

"What?"

Turning to look out the windows of the cockpit to feign indifference, the truth was, Maul's curiosity had been piqued. He'd thought that even a former Jedi would not entertain the possibility that the Jedi Order would go so far. Perhaps Sidious was more persuasive than even Maul knew.

"The Jedi Council were growing increasingly suspicious of Chancellor Palpatine… so much so that they instructed my master to spy on him."

Maul smiled, the amusement palpable in his voice.

"They committed such blatant treason? That's a new low for the supposed 'protectors of the rule of law'. And still, you defend them and their actions. Still, you defend your master."

Ahsoka's eyes narrowed.

"I'll have you know that my master would not have been happy with the Council's decision. He, too, saw the flaws in the Jedi Order and was more vocal than I about exposing them. He would not have stood for this. As for me, I made my feelings on the matter clear. But as Jedi, we have an obligation to uphold the greater good. Yes, the Order is flawed, but they still ultimately strive towards that ideal. Whatever the Council did, I'm sure it was for good reason."

Maul let out a scornful chuckle.

"Oh yes. 'The greater good'. An ideal used by those who are immoral to **justify** their immorality to others."

Ahsoka shook her head, her voice growing more impatient.

"The Jedi aren't perfect, but at least they have **compassion**. At least they have a code, and a series of lines they do not cross. What do the Sith have?! The Jedi protect. The Sith destroy."

"And we can see the fruits of the Jedi's 'compassion' throughout the sands of Tatooine, and the mines of Kessel. During peacetime, when the Order was at its strongest, a single Jedi Master could have handily dismantled either of those brutal networks of slavery and suffering. And yet they **chose** not to. Is being complicit in the enslavement of others part of your vaunted 'Jedi Code'?"

Ahsoka tried to think of a valid explanation, but her mind came up blank. There was truth to what Maul was saying. And considering how Obi-Wan described Anakin's past, there was a good chance her master would agree with him, at least partially. After a moment of silence, she responded, though the conviction had vanished from her voice.

"The Jedi… they… they also have a duty to the Republic. Whether or not it's just, the Jedi can only operate within Republic territories. They are powerful, but the Jedi cannot flout the law at will. Otherwise, they risk diminishing their standing in the galaxy."

Maul shook his head and spoke with a tinge of mocking sarcasm.

"Indeed. The Jedi do not flout the law at will… they only do so whenever it suits them."

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow and her voice darkened.

"What do you mean?"

"You just revealed that the Jedi Order were willing to commit treason for no other reason than that they were suspicious of a politician. And whether the new is entirely accurate or not, we can be reasonably certain that the Jedi confronted and attempted to remove a democratically elected official from power. But such actions shouldn't faze you, Lady Tano, for were you not the one who aided a band of murderous terrorists in an effort to eliminate the rightful ruler of Mandalore? Not only was your little siege unsanctioned by the Republic, but it violated treaties over a hundred years old. That makes you, and your Order, little more than war criminals."

"I am no Jedi. The actions I take do not reflect upon the Council."

"That may be so, but who approved the mission? Was it the Senate? The Chancellor? Or was it your precious Master Kenobi?"

"That doesn't matter! It was obvious that Almec was your puppet. Legal or not, the people of Mandalore were suffering. They had to be liberated from your tyranny!"

Maul grinned.

"And so, you expose your hypocrisy. Tell me this, Lady Tano. Do the Jedi uphold morality, or do they uphold legality? If they uphold morality, why did they continue to allow enormous, galaxy-spanning slavery operations to continue under the pretext of 'upholding legality'? If they uphold legality, why do they routinely ignore the rule of law under the pretext of 'upholding morality'?"

Ahsoka remained silent, and Maul's grin widened.

"The best lies, Lady Tano, are those founded upon a truth. I have no doubt that Sidious orchestrated much of these events… but they would not have been possible were the Jedi truly the 'paragons of righteousness' they claimed to be. My master created this war knowing that the Jedi would be quick to abandon their ideals of pacifism in favour of becoming generals and warmongers. He provided the servile army they so desperately craved, using the war to expose the Jedi's failings for all to see. And when the galaxy was sufficiently afraid of what the Jedi could do, he played his ultimate card- turning the clones against the Order and eliminating 'the threat'. The execution of the Jedi was not met with hostility or dismay. It was met by thunderous applause. So afraid had the galaxy become of the Jedi that they were willing to embrace an evil far more malicious."

Ahsoka had been victim to the flaws of the Jedi first hand. She'd seen how quickly the Council ceased to trust her. She'd witnessed the anti-war protests of Coruscanti citizens at the Jedi temple. She'd heard how the Order had failed everyday people, such as Trace Martez and her sister Rafa. Whether or not the Jedi were the monsters Maul made them out to be, it was clear to Ahsoka that that was how they were perceived. Still, she knew at their core, most Jedi were good people. Which is more than she could say for any of the Sith. Regardless, there was no way she would change the mind of the former Sith Lord. Instead, she decided to shift the conversation in a more productive direction.

"You understand your master's plan rather well… but you still haven't told me one thing. **Who is he**? Who is the phantom we're fighting?"

"Why Lady Tano, I thought that would be obvious by now. Who had the political status to play both sides, the opportunity to subvert the clones, and the ability to thrust the Jedi into their new roles as Generals?"

"I don't know. Dooku himself could have fit that description, had he still lived."

Maul sighed in frustration.

"Then perhaps I shall phrase it this way: 'Who had the most to gain from the Clone Wars, and the following Jedi purge?"

Ahsoka looked back at the hologram, seeing the scarred Palpatine's face looking back at her. She knew exactly what Maul was getting at, and was certain that he was wrong.

"I know how it looks. The Clone Wars made Palpatine the most powerful Supreme Chancellor in the Republic's history. It was he who declared the formation of the First Galactic Empire and called for the Jedi to be exterminated. But he's just a puppet, and nothing more. If your master truly works behind the scenes, surely he wouldn't have acted out in the open like Palpatine. And surely, the Jedi would have sensed his aptitude for the Force were Palpatine a Sith."

"Arrogance such as yours is exactly what he counted on to make his plot succeed. I suspect learning this fact is exactly what prompted the Council's attack on his office… all a part of the plan."

Ahsoka shook her head.

"But Anakin always spoke highly of-"

And then, it clicked. She remembered Maul's words in the throne room.

_"He has long been groomed for his role… as my master's new apprentice."_

A look of fearful realisation spread across Ahsoka's face.

"Now you see it. The terrifying cunning of the enemy we face," Maul said as if he knew exactly what Ahsoka was thinking. "Skywalker, Dooku, the clones… and I… we were all pawns in Sidious'… Emperor Palpatine's game."

Palpatine had been nothing but a friend to Anakin ever since he'd arrived at the Jedi Temple. Was that all an act? Was his true intention to turn Anakin away from the light? If so, then what had become of her master now?

 _"Stop it!"_ Ahsoka thought to herself. _"There's nothing you can do for him right now."_

Still, Ahsoka struggled to conceal her worry.

"If you're right… then we're already too late. Palpatine is the most powerful man in the galaxy. How can we get to him? How can we possibly defeat him?"

Maul smirked.

"That, Lady Tano, is a question we must answer together. I would not have thought to enlist your aid had you been some incompetent Padawan or a dogma-blinded fool. And you still surpassed my expectations in our little… 'sparring session'."

Ahsoka smiled inwardly. The end of their duel on Mandalore must have been a shock to someone as prideful as Maul.

"Regardless," Maul continued, "You possess strength, skill, and beyond that, the ability to inspire loyalty. Traits such as those, backed by my guiding vision, can go very far indeed."

Had Maul just complimented her? After the scathing criticism he'd levelled at the Jedi, it seemed oddly out of character. But something else in what he had said stood out to Ahsoka.

"What **is** your vision, then? To take Sidious' place? Because I will not allow one tyrant to be replaced by another."

Maul's expression shifted to a subtle frown.

"So idealistic… have you not considered that under my- under **our** guidance, the galaxy could be set right?"

"Not if it's achieved through force and fear," Ahsoka said, her resolve unbreaking. "I'm sure Palpatine and his followers used that exact justification for their actions. If you intend on becoming the next Sidious, then you can forget about my help."

Maul briefly regretted being so upfront about is end goals. But he quickly remembered that had he lied, Ahsoka would have sensed it. Still, he found her inevitable defiance frustrating.

"Then what would you have me do? Give the galaxy over to crime families and cartels? Or… would you rather I attempt to rebuild that **failure** of a Republic?"

Ahsoka stood up from her seat, her tone growing bitter.

"Even the Republic, corrupt as it was, would still be better than a dictatorship under **your** authority. When you offered me your hand on Mandalore, I entertained the idea that you might be different to other Sith. But now I see that there's no difference between Sidious and you. You're both monsters."

Maul's voice darkened.

"'Monsters'? Is that how you see me, Lady Tano?"

"How **else** would anyone see you?! All you've done is cause misery and death and destruction. You murdered Obi-Wan's master and the woman he loved. You slaughtered **innocent civilians** and **children** without a second thought. And for what?! You did all of this in a futile attempt to bring Master Kenobi down to your level. To put him in the same **pathetic** and **miserable** state as you."

Maul stood up from the pilot seat and turned to face Ahsoka. His expression was hostile, his eyes glowing with rage. As he took a single, intimidating step towards her, it took every bit of her willpower not to flinch.

"You cannot imagine what it is to be moments from death, fuelled only by hatred and fury. Losing my legs was just the beginning. The pain never faded, not for all the years I spent trapped in the squalid darkness of Lotho Minor, subsisting on trash and vermin. Every day was torture, and it was all thanks to Kenobi. I was driven to **madness** , and it was only by the grace of my mother that I recovered from what he'd done to me."

Ahsoka did not back down.

"And so you decided to make him suffer just as you did. Do you know what that makes you? It makes you much weaker, much more petty, than Master Kenobi ever was. He had every reason to hate you. You brutalised him and killed the two people he cared about most in the world. But he never did. Obi-Wan could have led this siege himself. He could have saw to it that you were executed for what you did to him. But he put his duty before his feelings, and allowed **me** to lead the siege- while giving me explicit instructions to bring you in alive for questioning."

"Then Kenobi is a fool."

"No. Kenobi is a Jedi."

Maul took another step forward.

"Hear this, **Ahsoka Tano**. You are but a naïve child, who knows nothing of what they speak."

"And you're just a Sith reject, bested twice by Padawans."

The Zabrak's tone became dangerously low as he drew and ignited his lightsaber, the crimson blade close enough that Ahsoka could feel its heat.

"You'll find that this 'reject' is more than capable of killing you where you stand."

Stepping backwards and adopting a defensive stance, Ahsoka ignited her own sabers.

"Then what stopped you the first time?"

Maul growled with gritted teeth. Such insolence could not go unanswered. Then again, killing her would accomplish nothing. As much as he hated to admit it, the former Sith needed Ahsoka's abilities- at least for now. After what felt like an eternity, the anger in his eyes became subdued, as his voice returned to its usual, dispassionate state.

"…Lady Tano, it is not my intention to fight you," Maul said. "But with respect, you do not understand what it is like to suffer as I have."

Maul's body language relaxed and he retracted his lightsaber, returning the weapon to his side. Ahsoka, however, tightened her grip on her weapons, poised to strike.

"And I don't need to. I helped you aboard the Venator because I had no other choice. But if you want me to work with you for a moment longer, you'd better give me a good reason why I should even consider it."

"Very well, then. Contrary to what you might believe… I'm no monster."

"No. You're not a monster," Ahsoka said sarcastically. "Just a mass-murderer, criminal, and former Sith Lord."

"So quick to demonise that which you despise. You share that trait with the Jedi. But I speak the truth."

The togruta's expression grew weary.

"Fine. Then tell me what you want. What you **actually** want. Few people seek power purely for its own sake. Or at least… few people start out that way. So tell me. Why do you seek power? What is it you hope to gain?"

"…An unexpected question. I've already made it clear what I seek. I seek that which I have been promised yet denied all my life. I seek **greatness**."

Tentatively, Ahsoka lowered her sabers, but left them ignited.

"Greatness? What do you mean?"

"I was born a Nightbrother, a child of the mighty Mother Talzin. I do not remember much from those early days… not even my own name… but the memories of receiving my tattoos… and of being promised a place of prominence at my mother's side… they remain, despite my young age at the time."

"So then… how did you become a Sith?"

"I was too young to realise what was happening, but Sidious stole me away. And he told me I would inherit the galaxy itself if I devoted myself to his teachings. I learned that I was Force-sensitive, but… in truth, Sidious' training was… beyond excruciating. Every day, I secretly dreamt of escaping my master's clutches, and seeing the sprawling city of Coruscant and the heights of the Jedi temple for myself. I had hoped," Maul said as he suppressed a bitter chuckle, "I had hoped a Jedi would save me. But no one came. At the time, I thought myself unworthy. I thought that if perhaps I was just a little bit… **better** … then, maybe, I'd be worth saving. What a fool I was back then."

"You… wanted to be a Jedi?"

Maul's expression softened.

"I did. But the Jedi left me to be a plaything of Sidious. They allowed me to suffer for years. Such pain taught me an important lesson. It showed me the true face of the Jedi… and why they deserve to be resented."

"That's not the fault of the Jedi! Had they known-"

"Had they known, they would have killed me alongside my Master. The Jedi see the world in absolutes. They believe the Dark Side to be unconditionally evil, and the Light to be unconditionally good. 'Once you start down the path of darkness, there's no coming back'. Seeing that I had been trained in the Dark Side… the Order would have elected to kill me."

"You don't know that. Even after every horrible thing you've done, I was still instructed to bring you in alive."

"That's only because of what I know. What **they** can gain from interrogating me. The Jedi make it seem as if their actions come from the goodness of their heart. But in truth, the difference between Jedi and Sith is marginal. The only **real** difference is that the Jedi are self-righteous charlatans."

Ahsoka retracted her sabers and placed them at her side. As she did so, her stance relaxed. Maul clearly had a warped view of the world, but he was not the malevolent force of nature she'd imagined him to be. Still, she couldn't allow herself to sympathise with such a ruthless killer.

"You blame the Jedi for your fate."

"Who else **is** there to blame? It was the Jedi who stole from me my destiny at my Master's side. It was they who robbed me of the opportunity to prove to the galaxy that I am not some worthless life to be discarded and forgotten. I would have climbed to the top, and then **everyone** would be forced to acknowledge my power."

Ahsoka shook her head.

"Was that even a possibility? Did your master truly view you as a successor, or were you just a temporary placeholder until… until Anakin grew strong enough?"

Maul remained silent for almost half a minute. For the first time Ahsoka had seen, he seemed genuinely lost for words.

"I… I do not know. I would like to believe that at one point, Sidious believed me a worthy successor. But maybe that was never true. Maybe I was always just a weapon to be used, expended, and thrown aside. I would not put that past Sidious."

The Zabrak turned away from Ahsoka, perhaps in an attempt to obscure his expression.

"I was never 'good enough' for anyone. Not for Sidious, and not even for 'the Jedi'… But I will be. I will take my revenge, destroy my old master, and rule over all the galaxy. Then, finally, no one will question my worth."

**"Power will immortalise my legacy."**


	7. Collision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tucked away in the Rings of Phelbos, Maul and Ahsoka prepare to launch their first strike against Sidious.

An alarm blared as the attack shuttle emerged into real-space.

"It seems, my Lady, that we will have to put this little discussion on hold," Maul said, as he turned towards the cockpit.

"We're not finished here, Maul," responded Ahsoka, grabbing the Zabrak's arm. She now knew exactly what he sought. Part of her believed she could dissuade him from his current path. After all, Maul remained a powerful potential ally. But she knew all too well that Maul would be thinking something similar, carefully plotting to turn her to his side.

"I'm afraid we don't have time for-"

Before Maul could finish what he was saying, an impact rocked the ship. Another, higher pitched alarm joined in on the cacophony.

"What was that?!" Ahsoka snapped, moments before Maul pulled free of her grasp.

Standing in the hallway leading to the cockpit, Maul's body had been obscuring her view of the transparasteel windows. But as he rushed to the pilot's seat, Ahsoka could now see the looming threat.

Asteroids.

Ahsoka rushed to the gunner seat as Maul spun the ship ninety degrees, out of the way of another potential impact.

"Where are we?!" Ahsoka demanded.

"We're in the midst of the Rings of Phelbos. To a smaller, more manoeuvrable ship, this asteroid field wouldn't be a problem, but-"

In spite of the inertial dampeners, the former Jedi felt a jerk as Maul banked the ship right in an attempt to evade a large chunk of rock. But he was too late. He wouldn't make it in time. The asteroid closed in…

Only for it to be splintered apart by brilliant green laser fire. Shortly after unleashing that barrage, Ahsoka then turned the guns on a series of approaching asteroids, blasting them to dust before they could pose a threat. Though as much as she looked through the fields of floating rock, she couldn't imagine why Maul would bring them here.

"Hold your fire!" Maul yelled, as the craft suddenly shifted towards an especially large, circular asteroid.

"Hold my fire?! In case you didn't notice, we're heading straight for-"

And then, she saw it. Tucked within the rock were three darkened hangar bays, constructed out of a brilliant, gleaming metal. Two were empty, while one held a Gauntlet-class Starfighter, painted with a sinister mix of red and black. Maul rolled the shuttle to match the orientation of one of the empty bays, before deploying the landing gear and touching down.

"Alright, Maul, I want answers. What is this place? Why did you bring us here?"

"This," Maul said as he lowered the boarding ramp, "…is Vizsla Keep 09."

Ahsoka watched as Maul stood up and walked down the ramp. Her curiosity piqued, she followed behind him.

"Vizsla Keep 09… you mean… this is a Mandalorian base?"

"Indeed. And it has served me well."

Ahsoka looked around the vast hangar. Though an effort had been made to conceal it, it was clear that a fight had broken out within this very building. Subtle scorch marks and dents on the walls coupled with the remnants of exploded debris told the tale of a quite expansive battle.

"What happened here?"

The pair approached the extremity of the hangar, towards a small door. Maul opened the door and continued down a long, narrow corridor as Ahsoka followed behind him.

"In my game against Sidious, I successfully captured his two most valuable pieces- the Droid General Grievous and the Leader of the Separatists… Count Dooku."

Ahsoka's eyes widened in surprise.

"You captured both Grievous **and** Dooku?! How?!"

"A long and costly battle. But once all was said and done, I brought them here as my prisoners, intending to use them as leverage against my old master. Unfortunately…"

The former Jedi nodded in understanding.

"He didn't care. Even they were disposable to him."

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Regardless, I thought it safer to leave them alive. Admittedly, it would have been best to kill Grievous when I had the chance, but… I had higher hopes for Dooku."

"Let me guess- you asked **him** to join you."

Maul smiled.

"You're starting to think like a survivor."

After navigating through a maze of sparse corridors, they'd finally arrived at their destination. The doors slid open, leading to a minimalistic yet elegant command centre. On the far side of the room, a series of transparasteel windows looked out into space. A brilliant white light partially obscured by the asteroid field spilled into the room. The design of the room was distinctly Mandalorian, though Ahsoka had never seen anything quite like it.

"You're correct, Lady Tano. Dooku was a pawn, and I thought that I could convince him of that fact. I still believe that he would have been a valuable ally, but the fool thought himself indispensable to Sidious. Then again, so did I."

"So… Sidious attacked? He freed your captives?"

"Not directly, no. My master rarely acts in the open like that. And with the droid army crippled by the loss of its two leaders… what do you suppose he did?"

"Well… given how desperate the Jedi Council was to capture you… it would have been easy for Palpatine to manipulate them into doing his work for him."

"Indeed. Republic forces led by Jedi launched a relentless assault on this outpost. My Mandalorians held the line for as long as they could, but in the end, we were forced to abandon the base."

Maul walked to a terminal within the command centre and began typing at the keyboard. But Ahsoka's cautious calmness turned to concealed panic.

"If he doesn't already, Palpatine will soon know of our escape from the Venator. And if he also knows about this hideout of yours…"

"Yes. It should be relatively easy for Sidious to deduce our possible positions."

"Positions? What do you mean?"

"I believe your clone friends kept a record of our vector as we escaped the Venator. Along that vector, there are only two destinations I would have any interest in."

Pressing another button, Maul brought up a holographic map of the galaxy and gestured towards it.

"My home planet, Dathomir, and Ord Mantell- a planet in this very system, and the location of a Black Sun stronghold. Our combined powers are a threat even Sidious fears, but presently, he cannot commit too many resources to our search. With the threat of Separatist holdouts and civil unrest, I believe that he will only be able to muster a few ships."

"Even so, why risk discovery? What's so important that you had to come here?"

"Nothing. The fact that this base is so poor a hiding place makes it perfect for my plan. I have no doubt that the bulk of his small force will search Dathomir in vain. Others will investigate Black Sun installations on Ord Mantell. And just to be safe, since I've used this base in the past, one light cruiser at most will be dispatched to investigate this area. Sidious won't expect to find me here, because under normal circumstances, it would be foolish to return to a compromised base. But it's exactly that fact I will use against him."

"…so if your prediction of Sidious' tactics are correct, a single light cruiser will be dispatched to investigate this 'abandoned' Mandalorian base. Then what?"

"Then… we strike. Get aboard the light cruiser, eliminate the crew, and commandeer it."

Ahsoka's stomach lurched. Commandeering a light cruiser? Killing the crew? How much longer would she go along with Maul's schemes? How many more would die as a result?

"No, I… I won't do it."

"Lady Tano, I implore you to listen-"

"Why do you hate Sidious?"

"What has that got to do with-"

"It's a simple question, Maul. Why do you hate Sidious?"

"I grow weary of repeating myself. But very well, I'll humour you. Sidious tortured me, murdered my mother and brother, used me as a weapon, and cast me aside. He promised my mother a place at his side, only to steal me away. He promised me the galaxy, only to leave me for dead. I know you still think me a monster, but he is a **true** monster."

"But how are you any different? You claim not to be a monster yet your crimes speak for themselves. And just like Sidious, you use people and throw them away the moment they cease to be useful. You used pirates, Mandalorians, criminals… and **me**. The moment I stop being useful to you… what will you do, Maul?"

"…thought so," Ahsoka said, after awaiting a response from the former Sith to no avail.

Maul felt a brief spark of emotion in Ahsoka through the Force.

"I'm not blind to the suffering you've endured, Maul," she continued. "Becoming a Sith was never your choice, and the Jedi should have been there to protect you. But your actions since then… the destruction you've left in your wake… and your ultimate goal, to rule as a tyrant… I can't just stand idly by and ignore all of that."

"My goal, first and foremost, is revenge," responded Maul. "After that… well… think about it this way. Unless we work together, we cannot vanquish Sidious. So until that happens, you need me… and, I suppose… **I need you**."

"And once that happens? What then?"

"We shall see. But surely you'd rather have me as an enemy than Sidious."

As much as she hated to admit it, Maul was right. Evil or no, he was certainly the **lesser** of two evils. And whether or not she could defeat him, her past victory had assured her that she had at least a good chance. But against Sidious- an evil capable of besting the greatest of the Jedi- she wouldn't have a hope. The right choice, then, would be to work with Maul for as long as it took to destroy his Sith master and the rising Empire. Then, if Maul still aspired to be a tyrant, he too would be defeated. Of course, Maul would be making similar calculations- for if he truly sought control over the galaxy, Ahsoka would either need to be turned completely to his side or destroyed. But she was determined that neither possibility would come to pass. 

"…you're right. I know your word isn't worth much, but can you swear to me that you won't turn on me until the day Sidious falls?"

"Very well then. Until such a time comes that our goals no longer align, no harm will come to you."

"Fine… and until such a time, I'll work with you, so long as your actions do not unnecessarily endanger lives."

"It's naïve to think a war can be won without spilling blood. You learnt that lesson aboard the Venator, did you not?"

Ahsoka's expression weakened, and her gaze shifted to the ground. After remaining silent for several moments, she responded.

"…Yes. I did."

"Now, back to what I was saying," Maul said, the impatience beginning to show in his voice. "If we are to oppose Sidious, we need a more permanent base of operations. A mobile base of operations, to ensure his forces do not catch up to us. A Republic Light Cruiser would therefore be ideal. Anything larger is impossible to capture with our… constrained… resources… and anything smaller will lack the capacity to serve our needs."

"Okay," said Ahsoka, though her tone lacked the conviction it once had.

"I sense hesitation, Lady Tano. You are concerned for the lives of your former allies. But you have been witness to the price of that hesitation first hand."

"I know."

Turning from the terminal, Maul took a step towards Ahsoka and placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to recoil reflexively. Was it a gesture of genuine concern, or more manipulation?

"You're still uncertain. You do not know what is the 'right' thing to do."

The former Jedi shook her head.

"The world used to feel so simple. The Jedi were good. The Sith were evil. The Republic was good. The Separatists were evil."

"And now you start to see the truth of things. You see that 'good' and 'evil' are not so easily separated."

"No. They aren't."

A minute of silence passed between the two before being broken by Maul's voice.

"It might be a while until Sidious' forces reach us. Until then, some rest and time to think might do you good. If you head out the way we came, and turn left at the first intersection, you'll reach the barracks. Feel free to stay there until the moment comes."

"What will you do?"

"I will make the necessary preparations for our… 'guests'," he said with a villainous smile.

Following Maul's directions had led her to a sprawling room filled with countless, eerily empty bunks. The bunks themselves were spartan, heavily reminiscent of the sleeping compartments in Star Destroyers and military cruisers. Still, they were an improvement over the seats in the Nu-class shuttle. Without a second thought, she collapsed into one of the lower bunks, exhausted.

In front of the former Sith, she'd needed to put up a brave face, doing everything in her power to hide her fears and uncertainties lest she give Maul more strings to pull on. But he'd seen through the facade long ago. The truth was, Ahsoka was terrified. Clear divisions between good and evil might have been an illusion. But they were a comforting illusion- an illusion Ahsoka longed for as she laid there unmoving. She'd always had a clear set of morals, a clear code to live by, a clear set of allies, and a clear set of enemies. When faced with difficult choices, she could always fall back on her unwavering sense of right and wrong. But now, there were no 'right' choices. If Ahsoka did nothing, Sidious' new regime would tighten its tyrannical grip across the galaxy. Billions would suffer thanks to her inaction. If Ahsoka tried to fight alone, or with what few allies she could muster, she'd almost certainly lose. Once again, billions would pay the price for her failure. And then there was her third option- to work with Maul.

Though she'd made a conscious effort to avoid it, Ahsoka couldn't help but sympathise with the former Sith. From his brief description of his history, it was clear that Maul was as much a victim of evil as he was a perpetrator. The truth was, she felt sorry for him- another person that, had the Jedi done their duty adequately, could have been saved. And beyond his history, he was not wholly unfeeling. As he'd talked about his mother and brother, Ahsoka had sensed feelings of great grief and regret. Still, who he was at heart was ultimately irrelevant to her. It was his actions that defined him. It was his actions which made him a monster. So if Ahsoka chose to go along with Maul's plans, what would that make her?

The war she'd wage by his side would be full of bloodshed and moral compromises. It was certainly not the path any Jedi would take. But she needed to stop Sidious, and though she would never admit it, she needed retribution. Sidious had taken everything from her- and the truth was, she desired to do the same to him. Revenge was not the Jedi way. But Ahsoka didn't care. Not in this moment. It was **Sidious** who'd turned her friends against her. It was **Sidious** who'd made her kill her greatest ally. And it was **Sidious** who'd brought about the end of her master.

Personal motives aside, the greater good demanded that Ahsoka do everything in her power to stop him. Maul had criticised such ideals, dismissing the 'greater good' as little more than a justification for immoral acts. Perhaps there was more truth to that statement than she knew. Even so, one thought remained in Ahsoka's mind.

_"Darth Sidious will fall. **No matter the cost**."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick disclaimer: This is my first time ever writing chapter notes, so I'm not 100% sure how to write these.  
> Anyhow, hello hypothetical person reading this! I'm not sure how many people will actually make it this far, but thank you if you do! Hopefully you're enjoying the story!  
> That's literally all I needed to say.  
> Probably a bit anticlimactic.  
> Anyway, thanks again :)


	8. Fire Hawk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka and Maul attack an Arquitens-Class Cruiser, hoping to steal it for themselves.

From the command deck of the _Fire Hawk_ , Captain Sidnear Delcowl studied the asteroid field. She had to admit, the Bright Jewel system lived up to its reputation as one of the most memorable sights in all the galaxy. Even so, the picturesque scene of brilliant white light carving through the gaps between the asteroid field did little to soothe her frustrations. This was a historic time for the galaxy. No more would progress be held back by the bureaucracy and red tape of the Galactic Senate. No more would destructive conflicts plague the galaxy. With the reorganisation of the Republic into the First Galactic Empire, finally there would be peace. Yet even now, as planets from the Core to the Outer Rim were celebrating this bold new step, here she was, assigned to little more than busywork.

It wasn't like there weren't better uses of the new Empire's resources. The Separatist Alliance had been fragmented, but pockets of resistance remained. Captain Delcowl would have liked nothing more than to eliminate those remnants, once and for all. But instead, she'd been assigned what her superiors had assured her was a 'very important' mission. She was almost certain that their words were a load of rubbish. All she'd been told was that she was part of a task force hunting a pair of fugitives- survivors from the Republic's recent siege on Mandalore. But while most of the force had been dispatched to Dathomir or Ord Mantell, she alone had been sent to some forgotten Mandalorian base long since abandoned. It was simple enough to deduce that the higher-ups didn't consider her part of the mission all that vital. What a waste. As the _Fire Hawk_ drifted closer towards the asteroid base, she heard an officer call up from the command pit.

"Captain, both V-19s are down!"

Delcowl's eyes narrowed. Eager to get the mission over with, she hadn't bothered to bring the cruiser through the asteroid field. Instead, she'd dispatched her escort of fighters to survey the area. It seemed they'd been destroyed.

"I'll need you to be more specific. Down **how**?!"

"That's the thing, ma'am. We don't know! We didn't detect any energy signatures!"

She swore under her breath.

"The idiots! They must have collided with asteroids!"

"With all due respect ma'am, the asteroid field isn't all that dense. For a ship as agile as a V-19, it shouldn't have been hard to-"

"You give the pilots too much credit."

A moment of silence settled across the bridge, before being broken by the officer.

"But what if-"

"I'll say this once again- the loss of those fighters is due to nothing more than the incompetence of their pilots. But in the interests of being thorough… fine. Helmsmen, full power to sublight engines. Weapons Officer, prepare turbolaser batteries for point defence. All crew, battle stations! We're going in."

_"Exactly as Maul predicted,"_ Ahsoka thought as she sat in the darkened cockpit of Maul's fighter, the _Nightbrother_. Having landed the fighter on one of the larger asteroids and powered down to avoid detection, all that remained now was to wait. An Arquitens-Class Light Cruiser was heading towards the asteroid field, its fighter escort reduced to debris. And if all went well, they'd be in for a nasty surprise.

Maul stood in the troop compartment of the _Nightbrother_ , clad in a suit of blood-red Mandalorian armour. The moment was approaching. He was not accustomed to fighting in such heavy, restrictive gear, much preferring the freedom of movement afforded by his light tunic. Still, the armour was protective, it was equipped with a jetpack, and most importantly, it was pressurised. Taking the horned helmet that had been resting by his side, Maul equipped it, and a yellow glow began emanating from the T-shaped visor. His view lit up with a heads-up display, feeding him a constant stream of information from the helmet's many sensors. He glanced briefly at the commlink on his wrist, before turning to look towards the cockpit where Ahsoka sat.

"Lady Tano, what's the status of the light cruiser?"

"From what I can tell with passive sensor readings… they'll be in range within seventeen seconds."

"Excellent," Maul said, grinning beneath the visor. "I trust you will keep my lightsaber safe?"

Ahsoka's eyes flicked to a compartment of the cockpit in which Maul's lightsaber had been stashed, before nodding.

"I still don't know why you insisted on using blasters over your own lightsaber," she said, gesturing at Maul's pair of holstered Westar-35s, before turning back to face the cockpit's dashboard. "But yes, I know better than to- they're in range!"

"Then the moment is upon us. Detonating seismic charges… **now**!"

After hearing Maul press a button on his commlink, she immediately powered up the starfighter and took off. This was going to be a rough ride.

"Captain!" called the officer as the _Fire Hawk_ slipped through the asteroid field. "We're detecting multiple energy spikes! The readings are consistent with-"

Captain Delcowl watched through the transparasteel windows as a cascade of blue waves exploded out from various points all over the asteroid field, sending a hailstorm of debris directly in the direction of her cruiser.

"Seismic charges!" she yelled. "Damage report?!"

"No direct impacts from the charges and shields are holding!" responded someone else from the command pit.

"Weapons Officer?! Open fire on incoming asteroids!" Delcowl demanded.

"Yes, ma'am. Marking targets…"

The ship was battered by impact after impact. The shields might have weathered most of the damage, but they wouldn't hold forever. Suddenly, the blackness of space lit up with green fire as the _Fire Hawk's_ turbolaser batteries brought their destructive power to bear against the incoming attack. With the exceptional weapons coverage afforded by the light cruiser's armament, Captain Delcowl was certain that the craft would suffer no significant damage. And it was precisely this fact that made her uneasy. This trap had been perfectly timed, yet not a single seismic charge had dealt direct damage to the ship. Whoever she was after had a different goal in mind.

The seismic charges had turned this relatively safe asteroid field into a pilot's worst nightmare- with the once large, lumbering chunks of rock shattering into deadly, fast-moving shrapnel. Still, Ahsoka's skill and instincts honed by countless combat missions, combined with the blistering speed of the _Nightbrother_ , allowed her to deftly weave through the sea of debris on a path towards the distant Arquitens. It looked like once again, Maul's plans had come to fruition. The seismic charges he'd concealed within the asteroids had been perfectly placed to unleash a terrifying barrage of rock against the light cruiser. The asteroids were unlikely to inflict too much damage to the Arquitens' sturdy hull. But they were threatening enough to occupy all four turbolaser batteries, all the while masking the _Nightbrother_ 's approach.

The mundane calmness of _Fire Hawk_ 's command bridge had given way to panicked urgency. A chaotic cacophony of instructions, orders, and acknowledgements could be heard as the asteroids continued to close in. But no one could discern the purpose of the attack. Not until the sensors of the _Fire Hawk_ detected an incoming fighter, heading for the cruiser with a frightening pace. At that moment, the strategy became clear to Captain Delcowl. The asteroid barrage was little more than a smokescreen.

"All batteries, forget the asteroids!" she called out in frantic desperation. "Turn every gun we have on that fighter!"

The turrets shifted to face the approaching craft, but it was too little, too late. As the fighter passed under the _Fire Hawk_ 's ventral side, it had been met with a brief volley of turbolaser fire which was effortlessly evaded. And then, as quickly as the ship appeared, it vanished.

"Where did they go?! And how did we not detect them sooner?!"

"Apologies, ma'am," called a voice from the command pit. "These asteroids are interfering with our sensors. We can't get a clear reading!"

Captain Delcowl's gaze turned into a dangerous glare.

"Then **destroy** all the asteroids."

As the _Nightbrother_ passed under the Arquitens' ventral side, the fighter lowered the troop deployment rack allowing Maul to jump mid-flight into the vacuum of space. As he watched the fighter speed away, Maul activated his jetpack, rocketing himself towards the Arquitens. Ahsoka had done her part. Now it was his turn.

"Captain Delcowl!" called the Weapons Officer. "Our turbolasers are overheating. They're not built to fire continuously for this long!"

The captain scowled as she looked at the tactical. It seemed that they'd weathered the vast majority of the barrage, having incurred no damage. All that remained were tiny fragments which posed no threat to the _Fire Hawk_ , and micrometeoroid remnants left over from the turbolaser barrage.

"Alright, enough! Cease fire and divert excess power to the frontal deflector shields. Sensor Officer, keep scanning for that fighter."

Even as she spoke those words, Delcowl knew the chance of locating the fighter was slim. Perhaps this entire attack was an elaborately orchestrated escape attempt, and their assailants were long gone. But just as the thought crossed her mind, an alarm started blaring.

"What's happening?!"

"Our starboard docking clamp has been compromised!" responded a voice from the command pit. Emergency airlocks are sealed, but-"

"We're being boarded! Deploy the garrison!"

It had taken several minutes for the garrisoned forces to reach the boarder's location. But Captain Delcowl almost wished they hadn't- for moments after engaging the mysterious enemy, the bridge of the _Fire Hawk_ received a panicked and incomprehensible transmission from the garrison leader. Then, the comm channel went quiet and an eerie silence fell over the bridge crew. It was only after several mortified seconds that Captain Delcowl spoke up.

"We…" she began, her voice a mix of terror and disbelief. "We've lost contact with the garrison. Seal the doors! We cannot allow the intruders to make it here."

"But Captain!" protested an officer.

"Just do it!" she snapped back.

"I did! But- what you just said about intruders- we aren't dealing with a boarding party. Cameras show one humanoid figure approaching the bridge in what looks like… Mandalorian armour! Attempts to stop his advance with sealed doors have failed, Captain."

"Then," the Captain started, her face turning pale, "…there will be no escape for us."

Maul had to admit, he was warming up to the idea of wearing armour. In his short-lived clash with the Arquitens' garrisoned troops, Maul's aim with the pair of blaster pistols he'd brought along was devastatingly precise. Unfortunately, his habit of attacking head-on meant he'd been hit numerous times. If not for the armour, Maul would not have been able to survive this long, and he certainly wouldn't have been able to shrug off blasterfire as if it was little more than a minor inconvenience. Perhaps the Mandalorians were onto something. In any case, with the garrison neutralised it did not take long to reach the door to the bridge. He pulled four breaching charges from his belt, attached them to the four corners of the door, and linked them to a frequency on his commlink. Then, with the press of a button, the charges exploded, blasting a hole through the door in a spectacular fashion.

The entire crew of the bridge froze as a terrifying bang carved a jagged hole through the once seemingly impenetrable doors. From the hole emerged an imposing figure, clad in black and red armour and a helmet adorned with horns. The figure drew a blaster and trained it on Captain Delcowl's frightened face.

"You are the commanding officer of this vessel, are you not?" asked the figure, his voice cold and dispassionate.

There was no response from the captain. Seemingly infuriated, he stepped closer and held the barrel of the blaster against Delcowl's forehead. This time, his tone was much less forgiving.

"Are you or are you not the commanding officer of this vessel?!"

"Y-yes, yes I am, but please, don't-" stammered the captain.

"Silence. You have two choices. Either you and your crew can abandon this ship… or you can die."

"Okay, just- don't hurt us!"

"You have my word that you will not be harmed **if** you follow my instructions. But if even one member of your crew deviates from them, I will force-open the docking clamps, depressurising entire ship… not to mention, leaving you all without air."

"Y-yes, we promise we-"

"Then what are you waiting for?! Order an evacuation like your life depends on it. **Because it does**."

Captain Delcowl took a few tentative steps towards the _Fire Hawk_ 's control panel and with the press of a button, an alarm sounded and a prerecorded voice began speaking throughout the ship.

"Attention, all personnel! A full-scale evacuation is in effect! Please make your way to the nearest escape pod in an orderly fashion."

Seemingly satisfied, the figure holstered their blaster and gestured at the captain.

"You and your bridge crew may now leave. Oh, and you might want to bring this ship's garrisoned troops with you."

"Wh-what?! I thought you killed…"

"I stunned them. They aren't dead. It's up to you whether they're kept that way."

Surprisingly, it had only taken a matter of minutes for the entire ship's crew to evacuate. After watching the last of the escape pods disappear into space from the bridge, Maul removed his helmet and grinned. The Arquitens, along with its many onboard supplies, now belonged to him. All that remained was to relay the good news to Ahsoka. He walked over to the Communications Officer's terminal and connected to a specially encrypted channel.

" _Nightbrother_ , commence docking with portside clamps. The mission was a success."

-

After she docked the _Nightbrother_ with their captured Arquitens, Ahsoka felt a jolt as both ships accelerated into hyperspace. When Maul had detailed his plan for capturing the light cruiser, she thought that there would be at least some bloodshed. But aside from the singed marks on the walls indicating blasterfire, she noted no major signs of a struggle as she disembarked and made her way through the Arquitens' winding corridors. It seemed that the entire ship's crew had made it to the escape pods alive. But why? It wasn't like Maul had a problem with killing. In fact, Ahsoka suspected he relished in it.

Ducking through the hole torn through the door, she arrived at the bridge. The familiar glow of hyperspace emanating through the windows was immediately calming- and standing at the command deck, staring into the swirling clouds, was Maul. She didn't know what he was so intently focused on as he stood there, hands behind his back. But part of her was hesitant to disturb him. Eventually, she decided to speak up.

"Maul?"

As if snapping out of a daze, he turned to face Ahsoka.

"Ah, you're here. I believe in giving credit where credit is due, so… your skills as a pilot… aren't bad. You navigated that asteroid field better than I expected."

Was that another compliment? It was unclear, but from the discomfort in Maul's face, it was probably intended to be.

"Your skills as a tactician aren't so bad either," Ahsoka said with a slight smile.

"Of course they aren't," Maul scoffed. "I manipulated my way to the Mandalorian Throne and built the only power base in the galaxy capable of competing with Sidious. The capture of a single light cruiser is… child's play."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes. Despite no longer being a Sith Lord, he certainly had the pride characteristic of one. Oblivious to the gesture, Maul continued speaking.

"Still, your recognition of my abilities is… appreciated."

Despite the arrogance of the former Sith, there was no denying his tactical ability. But there were some aspects of his plan she didn't fully grasp. Now was as good a time as any to ask about them.

"So… Maul… can you tell me the whole story now?" Ahsoka said as she unclipped Maul's saber from her belt and passed it to him. "Why didn't you use your lightsaber? And… how come you allowed everyone to escape? Knowing you, I thought that…"

"Lady Tano, I'm insulted. It was **you** who requested that I minimise bloodshed. So that's what I did. I did not kill a single person, and merely stunned the garrisoned soldiers."

"But I thought that-"

"Let me make this clear to you- bloodless victories are not always feasible, and it is naïve to believe that they are. But in this case, a bloodless victory aligned with what was… tactically advantageous."

"Tactically advantageous?"

"Yes. And that brings me to the reason I chose to use blasters over my lightsaber. Clad in this armour…" Maul gestured towards his chestplate, "The crew believed I was but a simple Mandalorian. Wielding a lightsaber would have shattered that illusion."

Ahsoka's eyes widened in realisation.

"And that's why you left them alive?"

"Precisely. If the entire crew was slaughtered, or witnessed me wielding my saber, it would have been obvious to Sidious who was responsible for the light cruiser's theft. But because they are alive and believe a Mandalorian loyalist seized control of their ship, they will tell that story to their superiors **. That** is why I chose to use blasters, and why I didn't kill anyone."

"What if Sidious sees through that story?"

"Oh, I have no doubt he will **suspect** my part in this. But without anything concrete to go off of, it would be foolish to further expend his already constrained resources to pursue us. From his perspective, there is a good chance that I am behind this attack, but there is an equally good chance that the attack was orchestrated by Mandalorians loyal to me but not under my direct command. Until we reveal ourselves again, I suspect he will wait and bide his time."

Internally, Ahsoka was rather impressed. At first, she'd believed Maul's words about his 'vision' to be just that- empty words. But this level of forethought and planning was nothing to scoff at. Still, one thing continued to bother her.

"Your plan could have still worked if you'd killed the garrisoned soldiers, right? The rest of the crew would have still been alive to tell your story!"

"I suppose so, yes."

"Then why didn't you?!"

Maul shrugged casually.

"It is as I said earlier. You requested that I minimise bloodshed."

Ahsoka didn't understand. This was **Maul**. A former Sith Lord. A monster. It didn't make sense for him to show mercy just because of her request. And yet, as she studied the tattooed face and reached out with the Force, she could neither see nor sense any hint of an ulterior motive. As if picking up on her suspicion, Maul spoke.

"What? You doubt my intentions?"

"N-no, I just-" stammered Ahsoka in response. "I just wanted to say… thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed this more action-focused and experimental chapter! Thanks for reading!


	9. Weakness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka and Maul's partnership is tested once again as their disparate ideologies collide.

Ahsoka emerged from the refresher feeling five times lighter and ten times more relaxed than when she'd walked in. As comfortable and protective as the warrior's garb Bo-Katan had given her was, it was a relief to switch into a fresh pair of clothes. The outfit she now wore was a repurposed grey officer's uniform she'd pilfered from the barracks. She'd done away with the badge, belt, and boots, and slashed off the clothing's sleeves using her lightsaber leaving a pair of smooth scorch marks.

 _"Honestly,"_ Ahsoka had thought to herself at the time. _"It's like they intentionally design these clothes to be uncomfortable!"_

But thanks to her modifications, and also perhaps the fact that this was the first pair of fresh clothes she'd worn in a long time, wearing such an outfit was made somewhat bearable. Upon stepping into the barracks, she saw Maul sitting on one of the lower bunks. He'd long since switched out of the Mandalorian armour into his standard black tunic, and with his eyes closed, he'd seemed to have adopted a meditative stance. Despite her better judgement, Ahsoka approached the former Sith apprehensively.

"I didn't know that Sith meditated."

Without so much as opening his eyes, Maul responded to Ahsoka's comment- his voice measured, but with undertones of rage.

"You'll find that there's a great deal about the Sith you don't know."

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Like what?"

Maul couldn't help but chuckle at Ahsoka's question.

"You know as well as I do that I am no longer a member of their order. But in any case, the Jedi would have told you nothing about the Sith beyond the fact that they are to be feared. The fools... too afraid to even know their enemy."

"That's not true. As a Jedi, I learnt about the Dark Side, and how it can corrupt us if we are not mindful of our-"

"'Corrupt'?!" Maul echoed incredulously. "Is **that** how you see it? Tell me, Lady Tano, do you know where all who wield the Dark Side derive their power?"

"Their passions," Ahsoka said as she sat down on the bunk adjacent to Maul's. "The Sith draw on their passions for their strength. And that gives way to fear, anger, and hate."

Maul's eyes flicked open.

"You have it half right. Though… I suppose I cannot fault **you** for that. You have been conditioned to view the Sith through a very specific lens. Would it surprise you to hear that much like the Jedi, the Sith also live by a code?"

It certainly had surprised Ahsoka- a fact she didn't want to admit to Maul.

"A code of what? Murdering, stealing, and destroying?"

Maul smirked.

"So they didn't even teach you that. How willfully ignorant."

"…alright, fine, I didn't know the Sith had a code. But… what kind of code could the Sith possibly live by?!"

"'Peace is a lie, there is only **passion** '," Maul recited, his voice growing in intensity with every word.

"'Through passion, I gain **strength**.

Through strength, I gain **power**.

Through power, I gain **victory**.

Through victory, **my chains are broken**.'"

Maul paused for effect, and his voice diminished to almost a whisper.

"' **The Force shall free me**.'"

Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

"Impressive performance," she sneered. "Perhaps you should consider a future reciting Mon Calamari poetry!"

"Mock them all you want, Lady Tano, but these are no mere words." Maul said contemptuously. "This is the code by which the most powerful man in the galaxy- and our greatest enemy- lives by. You would do well to understand it."

"What's there to understand? That 'code' just proves my point. The Sith reject peace in favour of their passions, just so they can seek greater power. And they're willing to do whatever it takes to achieve that end. Though I can now see where your ambitious delusions come from."

Maul shook his head derisively.

"Once again, you only see half the picture. The Sith do not 'reject' peace. Instead, they acknowledge that peace as an ideal is impossible. To **live** is to be in conflict, against others and against oneself. No matter who you are or what you believe, there will always be those who oppose you. 'Conflict' is merely the natural consequence of this opposition. It is an irrevocable part of life itself, and the Sith wouldn't have it any other way."

"Maybe it is overly idealistic to seek some kind of everlasting peace. But that doesn't make the pursuit of peace pointless!"

"What makes peace a desirable goal in the first place? It is **conflict** that forces us to better ourselves. It is **conflict** which requires us to progress and adapt and overcome adversity. Without that adversity… without **conflict** … there is only stagnation. If not for conflict- if not for the Clone Wars- would you still be the warrior you are today?"

"No, I wouldn't. But many Mandalorians think as the Sith do. Do you know what happened to them?! They **destroyed** each other. Endless war turned their planet into an inhospitable hell. There was no 'progression'. Only destruction. It took Satine- the woman you **murdered** \- to turn Mandalore away from its violent ways, and during that age of pacifism, the people thrived. At least, until you came along and sparked yet another war."

Maul shook his head.

"Perhaps those 'pacifists' did not fight amongst each other, but their life was not devoid of struggle. The very planet they'd turned barren and lifeless became a source of adversity for them. Though maybe there is some truth to what you say. Without conflict, there is stagnation. But too much conflict yields only destruction."

Had Maul just agreed with her? Ahsoka could do little to hide her surprise from the Zabrak.

"Must you act so shocked? You forget, Lady Tano, that I am no longer a Sith," Maul said.

"But you still draw on the Dark Side. You rely on your passions to give you strength."

Maul chuckled at Ahsoka's statement.

"I find it humorous that the Jedi demonise their own passions so vehemently. Were there not people you were passionate about protecting?"

Ahsoka nodded hesitantly.

"Yes… I guess there were."

"But such attachments are frowned upon by the Jedi, aren't they?"

"They are, but I was never an ideal Jedi."

"Or perhaps the Jedi were never an ideal order."

Ahsoka couldn't help but agree with Maul's sentiment.

"I did feel that by trying to control and suppress their emotions, the Jedi became colder and more distant to the concerns of everyday people. And… I guess passion itself is neither good nor evil. What really matters is where it's directed. Looking back, I did draw strength from my passions. As did my master. But we always used that strength to serve others."

"Your misguided sympathy for the weak aside," Maul began, "Surely you see my point. The Jedi Code confines while the Sith Code liberates."

"So you say," Ahsoka responded, thinking back on his words. "'Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.' What exactly does that mean?"

"We are all bound by chains. Held back from our full potential by restrictions placed upon us by others and ourselves. Ultimately, the Sith desire victory to break free of such limitations, whatever they may be."

"Like your obsession with Master Kenobi. You wanted to kill him so you could be free of your obsession."

Maul scowled.

"That is not quite right… but close enough."

"You believe Master Kenobi has wronged you in some way," Ahsoka said, clenching her fists as she thought back on her memories with Anakin and Obi-Wan. Memories she could never relive. "But nothing that happened to you was his fault. You blame him for the years you spent suffering on Lotho Minor, but Obi-Wan was simply defending himself- you know, after you **killed** his master in front of him. You blame him for robbing you of a place at Sidious' side- but we both know that even if you'd killed Obi-Wan, your master would have thrown you away the moment he found a replacement."

Maul's eyes flared up and his expression soured.

"It… it **was** his fault. He was the one who-"

"No," Ahsoka said, meeting Maul's rage with her own glowering eyes. "The Sith- Sidious- **they** are the ones who took everything from you. They used you. They manipulated you. It was they who sent you after Obi-Wan to begin with!"

Maul let out a brief growl through gritted teeth. It did not stop Ahsoka, whose voice had adopted a disgusted, venomous tone.

"Deep down, you know I'm right. You **knew** Sidious was out of your grasp. But you didn't want to admit that to yourself, did you?! So instead, you decided to take your anger out on a more attainable target. You decided to take your anger out on Master Kenobi, causing the deaths of countless innocents in the process!"

In a slow and terrifying motion, Maul stood up, his form looming over Ahsoka.

"What do the lives of the innocent matter to me? Their deaths are their **own** fault. They died because they were **weak**."

"Then I guess the same could be said about your brother and mother?!"

As soon as the words had left her mouth, she sensed hostility from the former Sith. Instinctively, she sprung to her feet and adopted a low, defensive stance.

"Impudent **brat**!" Maul snarled, raising his fists. He would not kill her. But he would teach her the price of such insolent audacity.

"'Their deaths are their own fault,'" Ahsoka parroted. "Those were **your** words, not mine."

" **Silence**!"

Maul threw a punch aimed at Ahsoka's head, only for the Togruta to deflect the blow and use the resulting opening to attempt a strike at Maul's neck with her left hand. The Zabrak intercepted the counterattack, grabbing the outstretched hand with an iron grip and using the opportunity to throw her backwards against the cold metal walls with devastating force.

"I have tolerated your foolishness long enough," said Maul, his voice simmering with fury.

She collapsed to her knees, seemingly still shaken from the impact, but just as Maul closed the distance, she rolled under Maul's metal legs, and from behind, delivered a series of quick blows to his side. In response, Maul ducked and swept low with his durasteel leg, causing the unstoppable metal to crash against Ahsoka, knocking her to the ground once more. For a moment, she considered summoning her lightsabers from the footlocker at the base of the bunk she'd slept in. But if she did that, Maul would do the same, and the fight could quickly turn bloody.

"You might have had a chance in a lightsaber duel," said Maul, as if reading her intentions. "But without your weapons, you are **nothing**!"

Ahsoka tried to pull herself up only for the side of her head to be crushed against the ground by Maul's mechanical heel. But even as she struggled in vain to escape, her resolve remained unbroken.

"I **know** you care about them," said Ahsoka, wincing slightly as Maul's robotic limb pressed even more tightly. "I can feel your grief, your… your **powerlessness**."

Maul leaned forwards, his towering form more intimidating than ever.

"Powerlessness? From where I'm standing, you are the one who is powerless."

"But between us, I'm not the one who **feels** that way. **You** are. You've felt powerless all your life. The only way you can feel powerful is by exerting what power you do have on those weaker than you. Why else would you waste time chasing Kenobi when you could have sought vengeance against the man who was **actually** responsible for your suffering?!"

"You dare question **my** power?! It was **I** who won the reverence of the galaxy's greatest warriors by slewing their leader. It is **I** who commands the largest alliance of crime syndicates the galaxy has ever seen. I assure you, **Ahsoka** , that I am far from powerless."

"I won't deny that you have power. But your power pales in comparison to Sidious'. And that makes you feel **weak**. You don't blame the weakness of your mother or your brother for the fact that they are gone. You blame your **own** weakness. You blame **yourself**."

Ahsoka screamed in pain as the Zabrak's metal leg applied an even greater amount of force. The fury in Maul's voice cooled into an icy, emotionless tone.

"If not for the fact that you still serve a purpose… if not for the promise that I made… I would have killed you here and now. Remember that."

The former Sith then lifted his leg from its position against Ahsoka's head, and left the barracks without another word.

-

Maul stood on the command deck of the _Fire Hawk_ , staring into the swirling blue of hyperspace having lost himself in his thoughts. Had his fit of rage undone all the effort he'd put in to secure Ahsoka's allegiance? Would she even be willing to work with him, let alone trust him, after he'd attacked her like that? Maul shook his head. What did he care? If Ahsoka would not join him, he would find someone else. But who else? Who in the galaxy had such remarkable potential? He couldn't simply replace Ahsoka. If she turned on him, how could he possibly stand against Sidious?

But beyond the possibility of losing such a valuable ally, another thing nagged at Maul. **She was right**. As much as he'd denied it, as hard as he'd tried to push away the truth with his sheer force of will, Ahsoka was right. Maul wasn't strong enough. When faced with the unmatched power of Sidious, he'd first lost his brother, and then lost his mother. If he was more powerful, maybe he could have saved them. Maul's expression had turned to one of anguish and distress- the light in his eyes fading and the rage dissipating. He was grateful, at least, that no one was around to witness such weakness. But he was pulled from his thoughts upon hearing Ahsoka's voice behind him.

"It isn't your fault."

Immediately, Maul adopted his typical cold, emotionless demeanour, but continued to stare out into hyperspace in silence. He heard Ahsoka take a step forward.

"You see weakness as a personal failing," she said. "But it isn't. Everyone has their moments of weakness. Nobody is truly invincible."

As much as the former Sith tried to steady his voice, his response came out shaky and uncertain.

"Even after everything I'd done… after everything I'd built… all it took was Sidious to make it all come crashing down. He slaughtered my brother in front of my eyes, and I did **nothing**. And then, when he and his pets came for my mother… I tried to fight… but I wasn't strong enough. I…"

He let out a sharp breath.

"I was weak."

Maul heard Ahsoka take another step forward.

"No. Strength doesn't come from having power. It comes from being able to push past failure, no matter what it takes. I can't believe I'm saying this, but…" she said, grimacing slightly in anticipation of what she would say next. "In spite of all you've done, you do have one admirable trait. You do not allow your defeats to break you. No matter how far you fall, you always climb back up. It isn't your political power, lightsaber skills, or Force abilities that make you strong. It is your relentless, unquestionable determination."

Maul turned to face Ahsoka, scoffing with a slight grin.

"That's quite a compliment for someone you once called a 'monster'."

She shook her head.

"You aren't a monster. I mean… you don't **have** to be. You could let go of your hatred… your rage. Or, failing that… just… direct them towards the right person."

"That isn't the kind of thing a Jedi would say." Maul said. "Perhaps there is hope for you yet."

"Well… if you're going to be driven by your passions, I can at least make sure you're driving in the right direction."

There was a silence as the former Sith considered what to say. Or rather, **how** to say what had been on his mind.

"Lady Tano, I…" Maul winced, as if the words he spoke were physically painful. "I apologise for my outburst… and for attacking you like that. It was short-sighted of me. I would hope that it does not come in the way of our partnership, and… I will make an effort to control myself in the future."

Ahsoka nodded gratefully.

"Your apology is accepted. And I'll remain by your side so long as you honour our agreement," she said, flashing Maul a playful smile. "Violent disagreements aside, we make a pretty good team."

"If you are referring to the capture of this vessel, then yes, I suppose you're right. Though without **my** plan, it would have been all but impossible."

The former Jedi raised an eyebrow.

"And what about my flying?!"

"Your flying was… adequate… I have already said words to that effect."

"'Adequate' is one way of putting it! How many starpilots do think could have done that?!"

"…Fair enough. Perhaps you do deserve some of the credit. Though in fairness… you were flying **my** ship."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes.

"You're impossible, you know that?"

In response, Maul smiled- but for the first time Ahsoka had seen, the expression held neither malice nor mockery. It was a smile of genuine sincerity. She knew she couldn't let her guard down- their recent fight had proven that fact- but part of Maul's demeanour and attitude had struck a chord with her. He reminded her of Anakin, albeit only in some small way.

"So, care to tell me where we're heading next?" Ahsoka asked. And for some unexplainable reason, she felt a bone-chilling dread upon hearing Maul's response.

" **Mustafar** ," Maul said. "We're going to **Mustafar**."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's nothing like some good old fashioned character drama to get enemies to tolerate each other! Plus there's some light foreshadowing for the events to come. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter!


End file.
